Nothing Else Matters
by eatacupcake
Summary: Lu Xun wishes that everything would be the same, but it will never be. Ling Tong wants Lu Xun to be happy, and he tries everything he can think of, but he doesn't know that the one thing they both need, they'll both eventually want. Slash. Hiatus
1. Only a Rescue

**Yep, well, hey people, I'm back (you could say).**  
**I had this idea for a while, just never really thought of more than the first sentence, until now.**  
**But yeah, here it is, my new fanfiction. c:**

**xoxo**

1. Only a Rescue

It was dark and cold outside, the only light provided was from the moon. Ling Tong was leaned back against a tree; his head drooped down, staring at his feet. His only company was Gan Ning. The pirate has been pacing back and forth for hours, showing no signs of stopping. Ling Tong scowled. He was becoming rapidly irritated by the stupid bells on the pirate's waist ringing nonstop.

Keeping his head down, he growled, "Would you please _stop it_?"

Gan Ning's pace hesitated slightly, but kept going even faster than before. "Hmph. At least _I'm _showing signs of caring about Lu Xun going into that damned Stone Sentinel Maze after Liu Bei. He should've been back by now." Gan Ning's boots scuffed the ground as he walked. _We should've gone with him, _he mentally scorned himself.

Ling Tong's head whipped around to the pirate, but his body never left the tree. "Then why don't you go in there and look for him yourself, since you seem to care so much?" He snapped, his eyes narrowing. In the back of his mind, he knew he would never let both of them go in there alone. Hardly likely he'd confess it to himself, though.

"Maybe I should. After having him practically risk his life for us and Wu, it's the least I can do." Gan Ning stopped pacing gradually as he said this, only to grab his sickle and walk straight through the entrance to the Maze.

Ling Tong's eyes stayed on him, only for him to sigh, grab his nunchaku, and run after him did he finally admit that he cared for the arrogant pirate, as well as the young strategist.

xoxo

"Ling Tong, where the hell _are _we?" Gan Ning questioned. He was becoming frustrated for putting himself in this situation. Now they were lost and hardly cooperating at all.

"How am I supposed to know? You said you knew where you were going. You were even leading me!" Ling Tong scoffed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and had to refrain himself from punching the pirate in the face.

"That's your problem right there!" Gan Ning realized in a sudden revelation. "You listened and trusted me for once, but at the wrong time!"

Ling Tong glared at the pirate. _Just breathe. If you punch him, it'll lead to a bigger fight and you'll both end up in trouble, _he reasoned with himself. "Let's just keep moving," he mumbled under his breath.

As they rounded the next corner, Ling Tong felt something fly past his ear. He was so startled that he jumped into Gan Ning who was behind him.

"Aye, watch where you're going, Ling Tong," the pirate complained, losing his balance with Ling Tong's weight added to his, toppling them over.

"Oh, dear God, I thought you two were enemies."

The pair glanced up and found to their utter disbelief and thrill that it was the one person they've been searching for all this time.

While they worked on untangling themselves, they heard hurried footsteps approaching. Ling Tong got up first and looked upon a very stressed and sleep-deprived Lu Xun. He was making such a fuss about how he almost killed his two most loyal friends and he wouldn't know what to do with himself if he did.

"Hey, hey, calm down, kid, and take a breather," Ling Tong soothed. He heard a snort and some soft rustling.

"Easy for you to say, Ling Tong. Just look at him! He looks like he's about to lose his head—" the pirate cut off as he noticed the icy daggers Ling Tong was sending him, along with the smack on his head.

Lu Xun eyes softened as he fondly watched the pair act so normal around him now, like nothing's changed. He's missed Wu. He has been gone for a while now anyway, even though in reality, it's been less than 12 hours.

So much time has gone by since he joined Wu. He witnessed Master Lu Meng's death, even though he knew in his heart, he couldn't be saved. They were successful in capturing Jing, but he had doubts. Was it really worth it, when it cost a valuable life in the process? Then after that, he was promoted to Supreme Commander in the battle of Yiling. Most of the officers disliked him being promoted, but he got through it and defeated the Shu army, all that leading to where they are now, in the Stone Sentinel Maze.

While Lu Xun was reminiscing, he barely comprehended the feeling of a warm blanket being wrapped around his shoulders, his friends noticing him shivering slightly. When he finally took notice of his surroundings, they were out of the Maze and back inside a tent. Had he not been paying attention that long? He really is losing his head.

He heard a chuckle from behind him. He turned around swiftly, becoming tense, but relaxing when he realized that it was only Ling Tong.

"Something on your mind?" The Wu general asked quietly. Receiving a slight shake of the strategist's head, he changed the subject completely, taking in Lu Xun's appearance. "Would you like something to eat, perhaps? Maybe fresh clothes as well?"

Lu Xun's eyes brightened immediately. "Yes, I would like that very much, thank you." His caramel-colored irises lingered on Ling Tong's form as he gathered the food for the strategist, setting it down on the table, and then moving to get the clothes as well.

Taking note of Lu Xun's gaze, Ling Tong smiled at him. "Eat up, don't let it get cold. You can get dressed afterwards if you'd like, or, of course, do whatever you feel like doing. Completely up to you," he said, letting the younger one have control since he was just found. "I'll be back; I need to do something important. But when I come back, I want to ask you how it all went, you know," he spoke calmly, unaware of how Lu Xun was already daydreaming again, even though he acted conscious of his actions, nodding and humming when necessary.

Just like that, Lu Xun was left alone again, with his own thoughts. He subconsciously ate his food, but the taste being bland to him. He knew within himself that he had to eat, to keep up his energy, and to also not get scolded by Ling Tong.

His eyelids were closing. He was on the very verge of sleep the more he relaxed his body and mind. He pulled off his burnt, torn, and dirty shirt, knowing he'll have to have a new one made. He traced the designs on it fondly. He loved this outfit, he really did. _Maybe I can get one made as an exact replica, _he thought hopefully. He folded it and set it down on his bed. He then slipped his new shirt over his head, his night clothes. It felt a bit scratchy on him, but it'll do. He wasted no time taking his pants off and putting his clean ones on. God, did it feel good to be in clean clothes.

He went to the wash bin to scrub his face off and wash his hair. He would have cleaned his whole body, but he doubted Ling Tong would have enjoyed coming back to see Lu Xun in a wash bin, drowned, because he fell asleep in it. No, he'll wash his body tomorrow.

After running his hands through his hair one last time, Lu Xun climbed in bed, as soon as the tent opened once again, the cool air wafting in. He snuggled under the sheets, breathing in deeply.

He heard a breathless chuckle. "Seems you're done for the night, then," Ling Tong sat next to him on the bed, his face barely visible in the candle light.

Lu Xun smiled, knowing that his friend wouldn't be able to see it. "No, not yet, at least. As promised, I'll tell you what happened..."


	2. The Worst of Times

**Well, here's the second chapter.  
****The fight scene is short and a bit corny. I cannot write a fight scene for anything, so be kind.  
Ahh, I have no idea how often I'll be updating this story, but as of right now, I'm actually encouraged to finish it.  
And the updates are so super short, but they'll get longer... I hope.  
asjkakjls. I'll stop blabbering now.**

xoxo

2. The Worst of Times

Lu Xun sat up in bed. He cleared his throat and began to recall of his journey chasing Liu Bei into the Maze.

_Lu Xun slowly walked into the Stone Sentinel Maze. As soon as he was passed the doors, they closed immediately. He blinked and gulped. No going back now._

_Strange sounds started to fill his ears. As he walked deeper into the Maze, he became confused. There were so many twists and turns, not to mention all of the traps that awaited him. He managed to avoid most of them, but some gave him cuts and bruises._

_He had absolutely no idea how to navigate through it. If you ask him now, he'd tell you he followed his gut instinct. If you asked him while he was in there, he'd say that he let his body blindly take him around, which is exactly what happened, yet he still ended up where he needed to be._

_There were quite a few enemies, but he did have his soldiers with him, so it wasn't all that hard. It was just difficult when he had to fight Zhuge Liang. That man is great at strategy and hand-to-hand combat, his wife just as much. By the time he got past those two and their strange contraptions, he lost more than half of his men._

_Lu Xun finally got to Baidi Castle. He saw Liu Bei first and, in his own opinion, he looked horrible. He reasoned with himself that it was probably from Liu Bei tiring himself out from thirsting for revenge._

"_Liu Bei!" Lu Xun's voice sounded distant and weak, even to himself. It still got his opponents attention though. "Face me! I will end your rampage here and now!"_

_If looks could kill, the one Liu Bei shot Lu Xun could catch the strategist on fire and melt him. The lord had hate in his eyes and behind the emotion was a burning lust for revenge against the much smaller young boy. Lu Xun stood his ground, staring at the lord with as much ferocity as he could muster against the glare shot at him._

"_Come then," Liu Bei threatened. "Show me that you have what it takes to defeat me, boy." He came to stand in front of the strategist, raising his weapon to a defensive stance._

_Lu Xun raised his too, but for the offense. He curved his swords underneath Liu Bei's, breaking his stance, but the lord was quick to recover, blocking the oncoming attack. Lu Xun frowned, it's like he knows his every move…_

_Liu Bei attacked again. Lu Xun blocked the attack with one of his swords, clashing metal against metal. He hooked his other sword under the lord's legs, tripping him up. Liu Bei fell on his back, which couldn't allow him to block the next attack fast enough. The strategist sliced his blade across Liu Bei's shin, earning a groan of pain. He took the opportunity to end this battle once and for all, but before he could, he heard a shout of the word "Stop!" in the distance._

_Sun Shang Xiang came running up, kneeling beside her husband, pleading with her eyes for the strategist to stop. He looked upon the girl and imagined that's what he looked like the first time he learned about Master Lu Meng's sickness, and he caved._

Lu Xun stopped his story, looking like he might be sick. He couldn't believe he spilled something that deep he had kept in his soul this whole time, just to blurt it out on accident. He chanced a glance at Ling Tong, noticing him smile understandingly at him.

"I know how you feel, we all felt like that, don't worry," he felt like hugging the suddenly helpless boy, but he wanted to hear the rest of the story. _Maybe later,_ he supposed.

"Thank you. Now, continuing."

_He slowly lowered his weapon. He looked at the young Sun daughter once more, before nodding, then walking off once again into the Maze. Most of the traps have been disabled, and the ones that weren't, he managed to get by with little to no damage done to his body._

_His walking became sluggish and he was dragging himself to keep pushing. He knew he needed to eat something, so he asked one of his remaining guards if he could have his bow to shoot his food with. The guard insisted on doing it for him, but he finally let him have it._

_Lu Xun didn't really catch anything at all. He did, however, perk up when he heard footsteps, too humanoid to be an animal. He quietly picked up the bow he had lied down and quickly aimed it. As soon as he saw the sheer sign of a human, he aimed and released, only realizing too late that it was Ling Tong and Gan Ning._

"And that's where we meet up," Lu Xun concluded. He let out a sigh of relief, having let all of that out.

Ling Tong turned his body toward the young boy, pulling him into a light embrace. Lu Xun wrapped his arms around his friend and breathed in his scent, allowing himself to finally relax completely.

"Lu Xun, I'm so sorry. You're so young. You used to be pure and innocent, and war has ruined you. I-I can't explain how sorry I am," Ling Tong quietly murmured, stumbling over his words.

Lu Xun's eyes widened. He pulled out of the embrace and moved his arms to his sides. He looked Ling Tong straight in the eyes. "I chose this. I chose to be a warrior, a strategist, like you probably did. You shouldn't feel sorry for me when it's what I wanted. I knew the effects it would have. In all honesty, I haven't thought I've been ruined…"

Ling Tong's eyes started watering. He looked away. He couldn't look at the strategist's face, not without breaking down. A boy this young should not have to carry a burden of an entire new generation on his shoulders. He shouldn't have witnessed his most favorite person die. He shouldn't have to be relied upon to destroy an entire kingdom. He's just a boy. Ling Tong would switch places with him in no time. He's older than Lu Xun; he's seen more and done more. He's not sure where this sudden concern and care came from, but he figured he's always felt this; it just took now to show itself.

He looked back at Lu Xun and smiled gently at him, the younger doing the same back. "You should get some rest, Lu Xun," he said. "It looks like it's almost dawn and I can only cover for you to Lord Sun Quan for so long." He winked at the flushed boy.

"Yes, you're right." Lu Xun started lying down once again. He turned on his side facing Ling Tong with his eyes closed. Ling Tong just stared at Lu Xun, realizing that he's not bad looking at all, but he looks especially calm and fragile right now.

He ruffled the strategist's hair and slowly got up off the bed, careful not to disturb the young man.

Once he left the tent, he went to his own. He got into his own night clothes and climbed into his own bed, the warmth welcoming in all this coldness.

Right before he went to sleep, he promised to himself and to Lu Xun that he would make the young strategist happy and he would try his hardest.


	3. No More Denying

**I'm like, on a roll right now. I've had time off from school so I've been focusing on this.  
****This chapter is a bit longer. I feel proud.  
****I'm thinking about updating mainly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, just so I don't ****overexert myself.  
****If I don't update during those days, then I'm probably busy or have writers block. Feel free to rant if you want. :)  
****Okay, no more talking. I'm done. :x**

**xoxo**

3. No More Denying

"Hey, wake up, sleeping beauty!" Gan Ning's voice pounded through Ling Tong's head. "You need to _get up now_," the pirate pronounced the last three words bluntly.

"Go away," the other man mumbled, voice hoarse from sleep. He blindly threw a pillow at the intruder. _What I would give to punch him now_, he thought glumly.

The next thing Ling Tong knew was that he got roughly shoved off of the bed, ending up face first on the floor. He quickly got up, rushing over to the smirking pirate, bringing his fist to collide to the man's jaw. It was a millimeter away, when he stopped himself, coming back into natural thought. Why would this arrogant buffoon—of all people—burst into his tent without explanation? He slowly processed this. Something bad must have happened for someone to summon _Gan Ning _to get him. _Did something happen to Lord Sun Quan? Did we get attacked in the middle of the night? _His mind scanned all the possible scenarios that could have happened, his mind landing last on Lu Xun. Did something happen to the strategist he took care of but a few hours earlier?

"Oi, this is no time for you to be zoning out!" Gan Ning's loud voice resonated around his skull. Ling Tong finally took notice of the killer headache he had, willing it back down.

"What happened that's so important, Gan Ning?" he asked, massaging his temples. "It better be good or I _will _punch you in the face."

The stubborn pirate just stood there, wondering how he should word it. "This morning," he started slowly, "I went to go check on Lu Xun, because that's how good of a friend I am." Ling Tong had to suppress a snort that worked its way up his throat. "When I got there, I found his tent to be empty. His bed had been slept in, seeing as how the sheets were messed up—"

Gan Ning didn't finish. The other man had sped out of his tent and went to Lu Xun's, the pirate barely able to follow.

"—so, I assume that he either went out for an early morning walk, or he got kidnapped," he finished, watching as Ling Tong scanned the room. The taller man walked over to the bed, gently taking the sheet between his index finger and thumb, rubbing it gently.

"I doubt he got kidnapped," he spoke after a moment. "I wonder where he could have gone." He whispered the last bit mainly to himself, but Gan Ning heard as well. "I'm going to go look for him," he announced suddenly, dropping his hand back to his side.

Gan Ning scratched the back of his head. "All right then, you do that." Ling Tong simply rolled his eyes, not feeling like involving himself in why the pirate won't go with him.

Trudging out of the tent—but going back to his to change into his normal clothes—and walking towards the forest, the one place he suspects the strategist to be, he thinks to himself, _I'll find you, Lu Xun. I hope you haven't gotten too far…_

xoxo

He needed to leave.

He felt like he was being strangled. He stiffly struggled out of the scorching hot sheets, running out of the tent as fast as he could, not bothering to put on decent clothes. _The forest_, he sighed happily, wanting nothing more than to be close to nature at the moment. _The forest is where I should go. No one would think to look for me there, except maybe—, _No! He shook his head to clear the thought. He _especially _wouldn't try to search there for Lu Xun, and the young man knew that, at least, he tried to tell himself he did.

Slowing down to a walk at the edge of the forest to catch his breath, he traveled through the trees. He could barely see the sunrise through the thick branches, but still admiring it nonetheless.

He felt so free out here, like no one can tell him what to do or complain to him about what he may have done wrong. His eyes started watering, thinking about all the things he could improve on; his personality, his strategies, his weaknesses, just about everything that could be criticized. He blinked several times, just to end up weakly rubbing his eyes. He wondered what Gan Ning and Ling Tong saw in him as a friend. He didn't think of himself that highly to actually consider all the reasons as to why, expecting that they just felt sorry for him.

He became tired of thinking about all of this, it only upsetting him even more. He found a nice tree, so he sat down in front of it, leaning his back against it. He closed his eyes and let his other senses take over, so he could focus on what he heard, felt, smelt, and tasted—which was the inside of his mouth.

He loved nature, he really did. He heard the familiar call of a swallow and a smile slowly made its way onto his features. He smeared a hand over his face. Since when did he become so _corny _all of a sudden?

He ran a hand through his hair, getting lost in thought once again. He didn't even realize that Ling Tong had found him. The older man just sat down in front of him, watching his expressions change with every pleasant or unpleasant thought. Ling Tong's eyes widened when he saw a single tear work its way down the flawless face of Lu Xun, who rubbed fiercely at it, accustomed to showing no signs of weakness. The boy took a shaky deep breath in, and slowly released it. Ling Tong's eyes softened at this action, getting the sudden urge to cup the strategist's face with his hands and wipe away his imperfections. He held his hands down at his sides though, suffering, watching Lu Xun mentally battle with himself.

Ling Tong watched as Lu Xun's eyes softly fluttered open, revealing a much disheveled Wu general in front of his eyes.

"M-Master Ling Tong?" Lu Xun's eyes grew wide, blinking several times in disbelief. "I-I didn't think you knew where I would be…" he blurted out meekly.

Ling Tong's head tilted to the side, studying the younger male's expression wordlessly, searching his eyes for emotion. Lu Xun looked away, becoming uncomfortable being caught in such a predicament. "Of course I knew," the general said, voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry," Lu Xun murmured. There was no doubt in his mind that Ling Tong had caught him crying, but why did he feel like that was a bad thing? Everyone cries some point in their life, right? He furrowed his brows, frowning slightly, looking at the ground in front of his feet. Perhaps it was because he got caught.

"Wha—?" Ling Tong sounded confused. He _was _confused. "What are you apologizing for?" _What's to be sorry about, anyway? It's not like he's committed a crime, so why was he looking so abandoned?_

"F-For allowing myself to have given up self-control and to have cried," the strategist sounded defeated and hopeless. It tore at Ling Tong's soul.

The taller man pulled Lu Xun to his chest, hugging him tightly. Both knew no words were needed; the hug said it all. It said more words than a complete sentence could have done and it affected the young boy immensely. He was glad he had Ling Tong in his life. He let up all his defenses when he was around him and he's never been able to do that before. It felt kind of… nice. He smiled into the hug, thankful for the comfort and warmth it provided.

They released each other, Ling Tong standing up first, and then helping the strategist up. They started walking back to camp together. There were no words spoken, leaving them both feeling like this was a comfortable silence. Then Ling Tong spoke up suddenly, having a brilliant idea pop into his head.

"I'll have a surprise for you soon," he smiled warmly at the shorter boy. "But first, I'll need Lord Sun Quan's permission for it to be for sure." He knew that Lu Xun would very much enjoy this surprise, so by the time they reached camp, the strategist mentioned that he was going to have the tailor remake his outfit so he'll have something suitable to wear, but Ling Tong stopped him, not mentioning why yet exactly.

They walked to Lu Xun's tent and Ling Tong left him there to do what he needed to do. After saying goodbye to each other as they parted ways, Ling Tong was never once able to remove the smile plastered on his face. He practically started running to Lord Sun Quan's tent, full of happiness.

xoxo

"So," reconfirmed Sun Quan one final time, "while we're here, in Yiling, you wish for me to allow you to take Lu Xun to the village, is that correct?"

"Yes, my lord," Ling Tong bowed politely. "Lu Xun has been down for quite a while and I want to try to make him happy as best I can, so what better way than this?" He hoped the strategist wouldn't mind being away. It's what he needs, after he's been through so much by himself. He needs time to rest and relax. Besides, he promised, didn't he, that he would make Lu Xun happy? This is just step one, he'll work more on it. _Ahh, I really hope he won't mind_.

"Yes, I see," Sun Quan rested his head on his hands, thinking about what Ling Tong had mentioned. He smiled. "I will then leave Lu Xun in your hands, Ling Tong." Those words made the general visibly brighten. He felt like hugging his lord, but refrained.

"Thank you, my lord," he bowed once again, and left respectfully. He couldn't wait to find Lu Xun. Boy, did he have news for him.

As he walked back to Lu Xun's tent, doubts finally settled in his mind. _What if he didn't like the surprise? What if he thought I was a fool to think he'd enjoy this? What if—, _he stopped himself. He caught sight of Lu Xun and he was smiling, talking with Gan Ning. He looked genuinely happy. Yes, the surprise would help him on the road to gradual happiness, and if Ling Tong gets to see that rare smile more, he'll ask for more vacations.

"Hey, over here, Lu Xun!" Ling Tong waved him over. The strategist smiled at him. He bowed to Gan Ning and said a quick goodbye, jogging towards the taller man.

Ling Tong patted his head and messed up his hair. "Come along with me," he said. "It's time for you to see your surprise." The strategist smiled from ear to ear, never seeming so thrilled in his life.

"Master Ling Tong, really. You didn't have to do anything for me." _Lu Xun is too selfless for his own good, _Ling Tong mentally sighed. _We're also going to have to fix that 'Master Ling Tong' thing. I want us to be equal, neither one better than the other._

The strategist was just staring at him. Maybe he was special to Master Ling Tong, having done this for him. He just couldn't wait for them to do whatever they needed to do. "Please, just call me Ling Tong," the general's voice cut through Lu Xun's thoughts. He nodded.

"Okay, L-Ling Tong," he smiled sheepishly. It felt too awkward to call this man by just his name, no title. Lu Xun felt like he was wronging him somehow by saying his name so simply, even though his voice did crack.

Ling Tong chuckled. "Close enough," he grinned down at the young boy, messing up his hair one last time. "Let's get going, I can see that you're on your toes," he winked at him, walking ahead to lead the way.

And so, they were off on their trip.


	4. The Journey

**Woo. It's 11:55 PM on Friday. I got it in on time. ;D  
****It didn't take me long to write this, actually. It came to me easily.  
****Yeah, Lu Xun's old weapon in this story is the weapon from DW5. Probably earlier than that game, too (being the short twin sabers).  
****I tried to describe Ling Tong's eyes as best as I could. They're like, a gray color, mixed with brown, so I'm like, wut.  
****Anyway, yeah. Getting into the LT/LX a little bit now. c:**

**xoxo**

4. The Journey

The trip to the village didn't take very long, lasting almost about half an hour. Lu Xun talked about how much Ling Tong didn't need to do this for him every couple minutes. Despite that, however, the older man knew that the strategist was excited, always right beside him the whole way.

The areas they walked through were mainly plain fields, turning quickly into thick forests. Lu Xun inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of nature. Ling Tong smiled. _He is so adorable, with all the things he does, _he concluded. The younger man looked up. "Hmm? What? Sorry, I was thinking about something," he said.

Ling Tong just sighed out a breath of relief, not realizing he was holding it. He didn't know he said that out loud. "Ahh, nothing. Just talking to myself, I suppose," he covered up. Lu Xun just nodded, seeming pleased with that answer.

Soon enough, they came across the town the general had planned to bring the strategist to. Lu Xun's eyes widened and a grin quickly spread across his face. He's never really been to a town before just on his own terms, when he actually has time to look around. Yeah, he got to go to villages in his hometown, but he barely remembers it, being so young. Even then, he never was able to get anything or look around for anything that he wanted. Now he was, and it was all thanks to one of his best friends.

He rapidly turned towards Ling Tong and jumped in his arms, almost squeezing the life out of him. He was nearly in tears from happiness. "Thank you, thank you so much!" he spoke with admire and glee in his voice. "I can get whatever I want, right? I'll-I'll pay for it!" Ling Tong hugged the boy back just as tight, shaking his head slightly, but all with a smile on his face, proud of himself for knowing just what would make the strategist as happy as possible.

"No, Lu Xun, I'll pay for it. After all, I'm the one who offered to bring you here," the general reminded gently, but with enough force for no more argument. Lu Xun opened his mouth to insist he pay, but thought better of it, and snapped it shut, nodding reluctantly.

They both backed out of the embrace, Lu Xun to go look around, and Ling Tong to make sure his company didn't get lost. But what acquired Lu Xun's attention first, however, was his almost identical outfit—the one that was ruined—hanging up at a tailor shop. His eyes brightened immediately, looking at Ling Tong like he had something to do with this. All the older man did was shrug, but when Lu Xun gave him an expression as if to say 'I don't believe you', he just winked; not quite giving the boy a straight story, but the strategist was too excited either way.

Lu Xun hurriedly strode over to the tailor, having to dodge the people going this way and that. "Excuse me," he spoke timidly to the woman working the shop, "how much would that—" he points to the outfit, "—outfit cost?"

The woman smiles a friendly smile. "Ahh, right, you're the 'special order' I received," she looked up to behind Lu Xun's shoulder, Ling Tong being there, and she winked. "It's already been paid for, my dear," she said, turning back to the strategist. She then unclipped the clothes from the clothes line and wrapped them up in a box, handing it back to Lu Xun. "There you are," she said happily. "Have a nice day!" The younger male nodded shyly while Ling Tong mouthed a 'thank you'.

"So," Ling Tong started merrily, "where do you want to go—" he got cut off by Lu Xun's enthusiastic yelp.

"Oh, Ling Tong!" the strategist excitedly glanced at the general. "Can we go to the blacksmith, please? I really need a new weapon…" he finished quietly. It was true. His 'two-sword-but-short-sword-thing' was becoming increasingly hard to deal with. He still wanted his twin swords, but perhaps longer. Maybe then he wouldn't have to rely on people to help him.

"Yes, of course, why shouldn't we?" Ling Tong responded, his heart swelling with joy at how much _smiling _Lu Xun had been doing since they got there.

So, they both walked together to the blacksmith, the young boy walking ahead a step, arriving at the shop within seconds.

"Yes, may I help you?" the blacksmith's gruff voice asks. While Lu Xun was thinking about it, Ling Tong slowly pulled away his clothes box, wanting to carry everything for the strategist, not allowing him to worry about anything today, only to enjoy himself.

The younger of the two noticed a sword longer in length than his old swords. He informed the blacksmith that he wanted two of the similar length, but one handle for it blue and the other red, and for the design of the handle to be anything that the blacksmith thought would be best, seeing as how he had the most experience in weapon-making.

The blacksmith nodded. "It'll be done by tomorrow. That will cost…" he estimated it in his head. "That'll be thirty-thousand gold coins."

Lu Xun's eyes turned to saucers. "T-Thirty-thousand gold coins?!" he sputtered. His frightened caramel-colored irises turned towards Ling Tong, expecting a blow up from the man paying, but he simply pulled out his money, counted it, and placed it on the blacksmiths table, who accepted it with a smirk and a 'nice doing business with you' spoken.

Lu Xun just stared dumfounded at Ling Tong, who seemed oblivious to it. They walked away from the shop and the strategist found a bench to relax at, his excuse being that he needed to sit down. When he did, Ling Tong sat beside him.

"Ling Tong!" Lu Xun finally bellowed. "Why did you actually _pay for that, _knowing how much that was?! I could've paid for it! I don't want you to spend—" he cut off as Ling Tong wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled the smaller man into him, giving him a hug that Ling Tong never gave anyone, it being a loving hug, yet firm enough to know that he wanted Lu Xun to feel protected.

As if it's natural, the strategist wrapped his arms around the older man's neck, running his hands through the back of his hair, hugging him the same way. "I've been getting a lot more hugs lately," he breathed against Ling Tong's neck, earning a chuckle in return.

After a moment of silence, Ling Tong answered Lu Xun's almost long forgotten question. "I paid for it because I promised that I would," he responded truthfully. The younger man just stared at him; feeling like that phrase was incomplete. The general sighed. "I promised that I would make you happy in any way I possibly can," he confessed.

Lu Xun pulled back in the embrace, looking in the taller man's honey-colored irises. He doesn't know why, but when his friend admitted to that, he felt his heart jump rapidly in his chest. He felt tears building in his eyes, so he closed them and forced himself to calm down. He felt Ling Tong move under his arms still around the older man's neck, until he felt him lean down and gently kiss his forehead. He opened his eyes immediately, sucking breath in harshly. The general pulled back and rested his forehead against Lu Xun's, whispering, "Please, don't cry. I didn't mean for you to become upset."

Lu Xun retreated slightly, resting nose against nose, looking eye to eye. "I wasn't crying because I was upset. I was crying because of how happy I already am and what you said to me just encouraged my happiness," he giggled softly, moving away completely, untangling all his body from Ling Tong's. The taller man, however, kept his hands at the strategist's waist, not wanting to accept that the moment had been broken. He had no clue whatsoever what had come over him, it just felt… natural.

"Hey, Ling Tong, come on, let's go," Lu Xun urged anxiously. "There's something I want to get _you _now, to thank you for this day." The smaller man tried pulling up the older man by the arm, with hardly any success without help from Ling Tong himself.

"Are you sure?" the general asked uncertainly. This was supposed to be Lu Xun's day off, after all. Ling Tong really didn't want to make it all about him. Lu Xun's wide grin was all the approval the other man needed.

Lu Xun led the way, seeing as how he didn't want to tell where they were going for Ling Tong's sake. Once they got there, however, the strategist told his friend to close his eyes, being a surprise and all. The older man did, of course, not wanting to upset his younger company, but he didn't do it without a smirk on his face.

Among the busy streets of even the fairly small village, Ling Tong couldn't hear a word that Lu Xun whispered to the person that they were seeing at the moment. Obviously, the strategist didn't want the general to know _at all _where they were at or what they were getting.

Only when did the smaller man allow the taller man to look, Ling Tong was met with full view of three freshly picked red roses. His amused expression instantly changed into an expression full of gratefulness and a hint of something else that Lu Xun couldn't identify right away.

He put the clothes box in one hand and gently accepted the roses with his empty hand. Lu Xun relieved him of the box—that was original _his _to begin with, anyway—to allow the flustered man to take in the full beauty of the roses.

Ling Tong's bright eyes looked at Lu Xun. "I-I would hug you, but I don't want to mess up the sheer perfect," he murmured softly. Lu Xun tilted his head and looked deeply at Ling Tong.

"You've never gotten flowers before from anyone?" the strategist questioned seriously. He felt really bad for this wonderful man, wondering if he had, why he was being so amazed at this.

"No… never. You're the first one to," Ling Tong replied; face a mixture of joyfulness and loneliness. "Thank you. Roses are my favorite flower, but I've never told anyone that and no one ever knew. How'd you know?"

Lu Xun blushed. "Just a lucky guess, I suppose. They're my favorite flower too, so I thought, who doesn't like roses?" he answered, a smile covering his features, then a yawn made its way through his expression.

Ling Tong smiled fondly. I see you're already tired out, then," Lu Xun nodded shyly. "It has been a long day, hasn't it, then?"

The small man stretched. "Yes, I supposed it has. Want to be heading back then?" Lu Xun wanted Ling Tong to know how much he enjoyed this, but he was sure he already knew, so he had no need to tell him, if only to remind his friend of it.

"Hmm, yes, I would like to. It's getting late, anyway. It's not exactly a short walk back but not exactly a long walk either. Might as well leave now, before it gets darker and we can't see anything," the older man reasoned accepting his own answer, himself.

As they began their walk back, Lu Xun couldn't resist saying one last thing.

"Thank you a lot for today. I needed this day out a lot," he concluded. "And about your promise… don't stress about it. As it's headed, you're already succeeding." He grinned widely, bumping arms with Ling Tong.


	5. New Beginnings

**Ah, thank you for the reviews. It's made me much more encouraged to continue writing this story.  
Another thing: if anyone has requests for a new story or anything with the pairings on my profile (if you want it to have, yanno, a sex scene in it, make sure it's M/M, I kinda stink at hetero sex), don't be afraid to message me. I'll be willing enough to do it. :)  
With this new chapter, Ling Tong has no idea what his feelings are towards Lu Xun. I know, I'm so mean to make it like that, but c'mon, it needs drama, right?  
And yay. Getting more into the pairing a little better! :D**

xoxo

5. New Beginnings

By the time they had arrived back at their camp, night was upon them. Lu Xun was humming a nameless tune in order for the silence to not be so deafening. He couldn't quit thinking about how well the day went. He thoroughly enjoyed it, but he couldn't help but feel like Ling Tong didn't realize how much he actually _did _like it. He told him numerous times and all the response he would get was a warm smile. _Maybe Ling Tong didn't enjoy it himself, _he thought.

"Hey, you two are finally back!" Gan Ning's voice rang out, loud and clear. Lu Xun looked towards the pirate, a smile breaking over his thoughtful expression. He ran over to him, craving to tell someone about his day and how great Ling Tong is, leaving the older man by himself.

Ling Tong watched his companion speed to the other man, a small smile decorating his features. He slowly moved back to his own tent to put the flowers he received into a vase. He then walked over to the mirror, taking down his reddish-brown hair once he was in front of it and running his fingers through it, untangling all the knots. He let out a content sigh and went over to join his friends again.

"—and then, in order to thank him, of course, I bought Ling Tong some roses. Then that pretty much leads to about where we are now." Ling Tong caught the last line of the story, recalling of what happened earlier that day. Lu Xun glanced up at the taller man, his eyes shining brightly against the darkness of the night.

There was a small campfire set up and that's where all three men—Ling Tong, Lu Xun, and Gan Ning— were settled around; just them alone, no one else to bother them.

Gan Ning whistled. "Woo, Ling Tong, I never knew you were so damn soft," he smirked, teasing the glaring general, amusement present in his eyes.

"Oh, just shut up, won't you?" the tall man groaned, scowling at the ground, becoming increasingly annoyed. He felt a hand on his arm and he looked up, coming face to face with a stunning sympathetic expression. Lu Xun's caramel irises were soft with a hint of emotion hidden deep within them, barely visible, but the older man caught it instantly, curious to know what that feeling may be.

"Just ignore him, all right?" the strategist whispered softly. "I think you're amazing, don't worry about him." Ling Tong's face turned into an expression full of unbelief, not quite sure if he heard right.

Neither of them heard Gan Ning mumble, "Well if you two are just gonna stare at each other all damn night, I'm leaving," and with that, he stalked off.

Ling Tong gently took hold of Lu Xun's smaller hand and held it in his, squeezing it softly. Lu Xun's fire lit features turned into an indescribable emotion. He turned his head away and stared down at a patch of grass on the ground. He registered Ling Tong's deep intake of breath. "No. Boyan, please, look at me," he murmured quietly. Lu Xun's eyes widened at the use of his style name and he snapped his head up. _No one has ever called me that besides Master Lu Meng, _he thought. His eyes started watering. He quickly rubbed at them, not wanting to cry once again in front of Ling Tong.

The older man saw this action. He immediately cupped the younger male's face in both his hands, stopping Lu Xun's movement completely. The strategist looked up into the irises of the general, waiting for what was going to happen next. Ling Tong watched closely as a tear slowly trailed its way down the smaller man's flawless face. He gently slid his thumb across Lu Xun's cheekbone, erasing any remains of his sadness. He moved to rest his forehead against his companion's. "Please, please don't cry. I didn't mean for that to happen. I just want you to be happy, Boyan," he repeated the strategist's style name once again, allowing a fist to clench Lu Xun's heart.

Ling Tong got caught up in the moment, leaning down and capturing the younger man's lips in a tender kiss, barely lasting 5 seconds, but both men responding equally. Ling Tong broke away first, horror designing his facial features and irises. Lu Xun's eyes had fluttered closed during the short, yet loving kiss. His fingers were on his lips, like he couldn't even begin to comprehend what had happened. He opened his eyes when he heard the quick intakes and outtakes of breath, looking upon a frightened general.

"Lu Xun," Ling Tong spoke after a moment's silence. "I… I don't know what came over me—" he got cut off by Lu Xun's lips on his again. The taller man gasped, breaking off once more. "Ling Tong? What's wrong?" Lu Xun asked timidly. Said man looked up at the beautiful boy in front of him, and it broke his heart. Lu Xun looked severely depressed. His face had darkened and his caramel irises held despair in them. "Don't you-" his voice broke off, "-don't you like me?" he questioned.

Ling Tong shook his head. "That's not it at all. I just-I'm confused about my feelings right now, actually. All I know is that I have strong emotions towards you, Lu Xun." He sucked in a breath, feeling like he'll break out in tears at any moment. The strategist visibly brightened at that, even if just a little. Ling Tong massaged his temples. "I should probably sleep on it," he said, voice just above a whisper. Lu Xun's head nodded slightly in agreement. "Want me to walk you back to your tent?" the general offered. Another stoic nod in return. Ling Tong got up first and patted himself down, and then lending a hand to Lu Xun, who accepted it thankfully.

The walk to Lu Xun's tent was tense and silent, leaving Ling Tong feeling suffocated. He went inside with the younger man, wanting to be able to at least tell him good night. Once by his bed, Ling Tong wrapped his arms around Lu Xun's waist, pulling them close together, the smaller man doing the same, wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck. Ling Tong bent down and planted a delicate kiss upon the younger man's forehead, bringing them even closer. He wished he could stay with Lu Xun tonight, but he doubted that said boy would want that. Ling Tong, all of a sudden, felt attached to the strategist.

As if sensing the general's indecision, Lu Xun spoke up. "You _can _stay here, if you would like." Ling Tong nodded without hesitation, and then blushed a faint pink. "Will you be all right with it?" he asked, wanting the young man's approval first. He didn't want to make Lu Xun feel uncomfortable or forced to make him stay. The caramel eyed boy nodded hesitantly. "I won't try anything funny," he promised, more to himself than to Ling Tong. The taller man chuckled. He then sped out of the tent, leaving Lu Xun wide-eyed. He simply shrugged and then began to get ready for bed, dressing in his nightclothes, scrubbing his face, and washing his hair, not bothering with his body tonight.

As he got ready to climb into bed, a voice in his ear made him jump. He turned swiftly around, finding a smirking Ling Tong, dressed in his nightclothes, as well. "Is that why you left, to change?" The strategist asked shakily, trying to calm down his thrashing heart. The general nodded once, all with that stupid grin on his face. "Ahh, right, well, come on, bedtime," Lu Xun reminded, pulling back the sheets to his bed and climbing in, Ling Tong right behind him.

Once they both got settled in, they turned to where they were facing each other. Ling Tong wrapped his arms around Lu Xun's waist possessively, pulling him closer. In response, Lu Xun ran his hands through Ling Tong's shoulder-length hair. The smaller man nuzzled against the taller man's neck, sighing out. Ling Tong shivered unconsciously. Lu Xun moved his arms to wrap around the general's neck. "Good night, Gongji," Lu Xun whispered sleepily, using Ling Tong's style name like how the older man did to him earlier. The honey eyed man smiled slightly, whispering back, "Good night, Boyan." They fell asleep in that position, both of them with a smile of their face.

xoxo

"Everyone!" Sun Quan's voice boomed across the camp. Lu Xun jerked awake, scowling at the bed sheets as if that were the person who woke him up. He looked to the side of his bed, finding it to be lacking the warm body that he had slept next to during the night. He sighed, frustrated. _He must have gotten up before I did, then. _He got out of his bed and remade it. He then threw on some suitable clothes to wear and made his way out the tent, wondering what the heck Lord Sun Quan had to be so loud over.

Sun Quan was standing in the middle of a huge crowd; practically everyone who had joined them in the battle against Liu Bei. "I have some terrific news!" He bellowed excitedly, stopping to allow whispers to go off here and there. Once that cleared, he continued. "We are finally going back home to Jiangdong!" Cheers erupted, everyone either yelling a "Thank you, my lord!" or just yelling for the fun of it. Lu Xun's face had a grin plastered on it, as well. _We all can finally go home, _Lu Xun let out a content breath, finally being able to fully relax.

He managed to spot Ling Tong, running up behind him and wrapping his arms around his waist, resting his face against his back, breathing in his scent. The taller general turned in his arms, hugging him back as lovingly. "Good morning, then," he chuckled into the smaller man's hair. He backed up somewhat to press a gentle kiss to the strategist's forehead.

"Gongji, can you believe it?" Lu Xun whispered, his eyes lighting up with ecstasy. "We're-we're going home!" He got up on his tiptoes to reach the taller man's full height, hugging him tightly. The general smiled, running his fingers through the back of Lu Xun's shaggy brown locks. The shorter man had the urge to tilt his head up and kiss the man he recently began to show feelings for, but thought better of it. _Not in front of all these people… besides, Gongji may not even like it, _he reasoned with himself.

"So," Sun Quan spoke again, and the two people embracing quickly composed themselves and looked forward again, having trouble hiding their smiles, "we'll pack our things today, and we'll be heading out early tomorrow morning. I don't want to be responsible for anyone left behind." He locked eyes with a few people, and other people started snickering. One of the people's eyes he locked onto was Lu Xun's, and the strategist just smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. The man beside him chuckled, ruffling the younger man's hair.

"All right, you're all free to go now," Sun Quan dismissed everyone with a wave of his hand, allowing everyone to go back in their tents to pack up. Ling Tong and Lu Xun separated, returning to their own tents. Lu Xun went inside and packed up all his clothes in one box, getting his linen, pillow, and soap box ready, since he'll need it for one more day, and last, the few scrolls he brought with him in the final box. He felt like he was walking on air. Home was the one place he wanted to be the most, but with, of course, the one person who meant everything to him now. He only wants Ling Tong to get his emotions sorted out and tell him how he really feels about the young man. Last night should have said it all… but in reality, it spoke little to nothing.

He walked slowly out of his tent, making his way to Ling Tong's. He _was _going to ask him how he felt about him, he _planned _to get an answer, and he would most definitely _not back out_. While he was mentally yelling at himself, he was completely oblivious to the person who walked out of their tent and followed Lu Xun to where he was going. When he finally reached Ling Tong's temporary home, he looked and called for him, the general seeming to not be there at all.

When the small man gave up and turned around to leave, he let out a strangled gasp and fell back on his friend's bed. The person who he was looking for being behind him the whole time and him obviously not seeing him there. Ling Tong full out laughed and jumped on top of Lu Xun, tickling him mercilessly, both of them acting like kids. "H-H-Hey, Ling T-Tong, s-stop i-it!" Lu Xun managed to say between his fits of laughter. The weaker man tried to push the older man off, but he ended up with his hands above his head and his legs sat on. He was in tears from laughing so much, and that's when Ling Tong finally allowed him to breathe.

Lu Xun was panting, his face was red, his hair and clothes were disheveled, but he had a grin on his face nonetheless. Ling Tong was grinning too, but it was more of a victory grin unlike a grin of someone who just got tickled half to death. The general had let up his guard and the strategist took that opportunity to flip them over and give the older man a taste of his own medicine. He attacked him just as he had gotten attacked. After as long as he'd gotten tickled, he stopped to allow Ling Tong to breathe, the taller man looking the same way the shorter man had, and it snapped something inside Lu Xun.

Ling Tong saw the younger man's irises darken and his own eyes widened. He couldn't suppress a shiver when Lu Xun oh-so slowly bent down and captured his lips in a kiss, leaving him breathless like he'd just been tickle-attacked again. He didn't respond to the kiss, not knowing what to do, but when Lu Xun pressed against his lips harder, he let his eyes flutter close and he moved his lips against the ones above him. Lu Xun retreated back slightly; allowing breathing room, then he went in again for a deeper kiss. The older man responded generously, taking the younger man's bottom lip between his teeth, sucking on it, and then nibbling on it, earning a soft moan from the other man.

They returned their lips to the other, Ling Tong lightly licking Lu Xun's lips, asking for entrance. The caramel eyed man gasped, allowing the honey eyed man to enter slowly, their tongues meeting, dancing with each other in an affectionate way. Ling Tong's hands went up to tangle into the other man's hair, earning a growl deep within Lu Xun's throat. He then attached his lips to the neck of the man beneath him, earning a tug of his hair. "B-Boyan—" Ling Tong managed, before a moan cut him off. "Boyan," he started again, more firm, "s-stop. I d-don't want this to g-go any f-further," he mentally slapped himself for his voice repeatedly breaking off.

Lu Xun looked up in his eyes and realized his desperateness was visible plainly in the man's irises. He instantly got up off of Ling Tong and the bed itself, standing there, looking declined. "I… I thought you enjoyed it, Gongji," Lu Xun's voice sounded far away, even though he was only a few feet away. "I wouldn't have continued if I had known—" he cut himself off, not able to fully say his thoughts. "I'm sorry," he whispered before he left the tent in a hurry.

"Wait!" Ling Tong spoke out too late, his heart breaking again in the process. "Why… Why am I so horrible at relationships?!" he yelled to the empty room. "If we could call this a relationship, even if it is one-sided. I don't even know what I feel for Lu Xun…" he spoke softer, feeling like breaking out in tears once more, knowing that he kept hurting the beautiful boy most of the time when all he wanted was him to be happy.

Wanting to clear his head, his traveled to the place where he first found Lu Xun at, the forest. It held memories there that no other place could. He honestly just wanted to stay there until night came, even though it was midday. He didn't want to see anyone right now. Not Gan Ning, Sun Quan, and especially not Lu Xun. He'd take anyone but the stunning boy who had his heart and brain working against each other.

He memorized the steps and routes he took to get to Lu Xun, and he went straight there, sitting down at the exact tree and leaning his head back against it, closing his eyes, subconsciously rubbing his neck where Lu Xun had kissed him. It had felt incredible, it really had, but the problem was, he didn't want to go into anything that had a small chance of escaping out of. If it had continued, it could have gotten too far, and he would be left feeling guilty right now, not like he wasn't already, but even more so. He hugged his arms across his chest, the cold weather getting to him already, but not feeling like getting back up. He could still feel the warmness of Lu Xun's body on his, the loving way they both kissed each other, but the emotions… Ling Tong had absolutely no idea what those feelings might be, never experiencing it before, but it leaving him tingly inside.

He looked up at the partly cloudy blue sky, thinking it was absolutely beautiful, despite his lack of sight underneath all the thick trees. And while he stared at the sky, the other man that leaves him always feeling incomplete doing the same, they both think to themselves, _I'm in way too deep._


	6. Desperateness

**I had like, total writer's block writing this. Ugh, I had no idea what to write.  
****So sorry it's so short this time. Like I said, I didn't know what to put.  
****I've been getting super busy and if I don't update on the days I said I would, you all now know why.  
****A****h, and yeah, the characters have no idea what they want. :3 You know I have to make it like that.**

xoxo

6. Desperateness

Ling Tong was frozen to the core by the time he overcame his stubborn personality and went back to his tent. He hadn't been in the forest for long, not wanting to be alone with his thoughts anymore.

He trudged back to his temporary home, hugging his arms to his body. _Oh, I'm so dumb, _he thought bitterly. Gan Ning tried to engage him in conversation, but the grumpy man just pushed past him, making the pirate huff and stalk off.

Ling Tong caught sight of Lu Xun talking with Lian Shi. Something tight clenched his heart and he couldn't explain why. He stopped walking. Why should he get worked up over who the boy spoke with? He made it obvious that he wasn't interested in women. Besides, Lian Shi also made it clear that her heart belonged to Lord Sun Quan. So, what was this foreign feeling all about?

He continued walking, doing his best to ignore the adorable boy and beautiful woman talking amongst themselves. They were both laughing incredibly loud and it made him furious. _Just breathe,_ he told himself. _This is nothing important at all._ Sun Quan came up to him while he was arguing with himself. The lord patted the thoughtful man on the back.

"Well, Ling Tong," he began eagerly, "you and Lu Xun and good friends, right?" His warm smile had the taller man worried. _I don't like where this is going, _he mentally frowned. He just gave a curt nod instead. "Great! I want the two of you to share a tent. We're running out of space and we don't have enough room for everyone, you know?" The general felt like fainting. But it's not like he could say no either. It was his lord asking, after all. He didn't want to let him down.

"Yeah, sure, that's fine," he replied with a forced smile on his face. "Have you asked Lu Xun about it yet?" The small lord nodded energetically. "He said that he wouldn't mind at all and he went off to put his things in your room, so don't be surprised if you see boxes in there that aren't yours." Ling Tong just sighed and shook his head slightly. "That's good. I was going there now, it's chilly out here." He started walking away and he heard Sun Quan yell, "Fantastic! Thank you, Ling Tong!"

The tall man furrowed his brows and scuffed the ground with his shoes. Of all the things his lord could have wanted from him and he picks _that. _"Oh well," he mumbled under his breath, "it could have been much worse, like having to room with Gan Ning."

Lu Xun started following the older man after he had finished talking to Sun Quan. He didn't want Ling Tong to start ignoring him now. That'd be horrible. He'd just have to interact with him to get a response.

After the taller man had stopped and went inside his tent, Lu Xun decided now would be a good time to speak. "You know…" he started slowly, examining Ling Tong's reactions, "you can't ignore me forever. We have to talk about this sometime." He went over to the general, getting right behind his shoulder. Ling Tong hasn't moved from his spot in the room with his back to Lu Xun, packing up his things, his eyes downcast to his work. "Tell me, Gongji," the smaller man used the other man's style name in hopes of getting on his good side, "tell me how you really feel about me. I'm dying to know and… and you're driving me absolutely _crazy_, you just have no idea." He said with a hint of desperateness in his voice.

The honey-eyed man straightened out his body and stood up, reaching his full height. He turned on his heel and observed the caramel-eyed boy in front of him. Even though it was only a couple hours, he had already missed him. He engulfed the young boy in an embrace, wrapping his arms around his neck and pressing him close against his chest, resting his face in his shaggy hair, breathing in deeply. He felt a timid set of arms wrap around his waist, pulling himself even closer to the warm body against him, if that's even possible.

"I… I don't know, Boyan," Ling Tong sighed. "My emotions are screwed up right now and I plainly suck at relationships and I don't even know what to do _during _relationships—" he got cut off when Lu Xun lightly brushed his lips against his own. "You talk too much. Do you even breathe when you ramble like that?" The strategist chuckled, moving his hands to tangle in the back of Ling Tong's hair, bending him down and kissing him harder. Ling Tong's hands traveled down Lu Xun's body, stopping at the shorter boy's waist, gathering him closer. "I'm in too deep with you, Boyan," he whispered against Lu Xun's lips, earning a short laugh in response.

They rested their foreheads against each other's, their breath intertwining, caramel orbs mixing with honey orbs. "You don't have to worry about what to do in a relationship, you know," the younger man murmured. "It comes naturally to most people. If you really like or love someone…" he broke off, eyes looking down at their bodies tangled together, "…you don't have to think about anything," he finished quietly. Ling Tong hugged Lu Xun tighter against his body.

"I mean, I know that, it's just I've never been in a relationship before and all the emotions confuse the heck out of me," Ling Tong rambled again, stopping only once for a breath of air. That's when he processed what Lu Xun had said. _"When you like or love someone, you don't have to think about anything." _The older man knew that the younger man liked him, but what did _he _feel for _him_? He knew he didn't love him, but did he like him? He sighed and relaxed his grip slightly.

He looked down at the boy's innocent gaze and felt the need to do something, anything, to the pure man. "I'm too tempted around you, Boyan," he breathed. The shorter man chuckled. He then leaned up and got close to the older man's face. "Then be tempted," he smirked seductively and Ling Tong's eyes widened. How could such a sweet boy be able to pull _that _off? _First time for everything, I guess, _he considered to himself.

His eyes turned half-lidded and he smiled slowly, bending down and capturing the strategist's lips in a tender kiss. Lu Xun pushed Ling Tong's head down, forcing the kiss to be harder, wanting more of it. The taller man groaned into the kiss when the shorter man tugged at his lower lip, nipping on it softly. Lu Xun's tongue then snaked out and licked at the lip, slipping it inside the other mouth. He wrapped his tongue around the other man's tongue, tugging at it. Ling Tong started backing up towards the bed, not breaking the kiss at all, not even when he fell back against it. Both of the caramel-eyed man's arms were by either side of his head, kissing him deeply. He then moaned out unexpectedly when a sudden flash of pleasure surged through his body. He broke the kiss and looked down at the other man, seeing his face light up with a smirk.

"So," he spoke slowly, with a hint of smugness in his voice, "you like it like this, huh?" He rolled his hips forward again; hearing a yelp of pleasure and feeling a shiver come from the younger man. "Gongji…" Lu Xun panted, "don't-don't do this. Please, not—" he got cut off when another groan made its way up his throat. The man below him started breathing heavier, as well. "Oh, Boyan…" he breathed out. He reached up and pulled him back down for another kiss, slipping his tongue inside immediately, wanting to taste the lovely boy again.

Lu Xun felt weak all over, barely being able to become involved in the kiss. He started to comply, grinding lightly back down on the hips beneath him. "Gongji," he started again, "we... ahh… we need to stop. Please. I'd rather go farther when you've settled… mmph… out your feelings." He pleaded desperately, his eyes dark with guilt and restrained want. Ling Tong stopped all his movement, glancing up into the eyes he had come to like so much. "Boyan," he began, sliding his body up from underneath the smaller boy, both of them moving to sit on their knees, "I'm sorry." He smeared a hand over his face and groaned. "I suck at this, I do. Like I said, you tempt me. You're so amazing, adorable, kind, beautiful, and innocent. I can't… control myself," he mumbled.

Lu Xun's face brightened. "Do you mean all that about me? You really think I'm-I'm beautiful?" he became flustered. Ling Tong's eyes widened. "Ah, I said that out loud, didn't I?" He smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I meant all those things." The small boy had gotten off of the bed and walked towards the exit of the tent, turning back and smiling at the taller man. "You can continue your packing while I'm not here to distract you." He winked and left at that. _In too deep, Ling Tong. You're in way too deep,_ he thought to himself.

xoxo

It was nighttime by the time Lu Xun had come back to Ling Tong and his tent. He poked his head inside and his face flushed. Ling Tong was facing where Lu Xun was, not noticing him at all. He was getting undressed and already had his shirt off. The strategist couldn't stop staring, his irises raking over the body before him. He cleared his throat and shook his head, walking into the crowded room, keeping his eyes on the ground below him.

"Welcome home, honey," he heard the general say, a smirk present in his voice. Lu Xun rolled his eyes. He picked his head up, looking straight ahead instead. "Hah, very funny," he replied sarcastically. "Have you washed yet, Gongji?" He hadn't washed since this morning and yet he felt like he hadn't washed in a year. "Uh, yeah, I have. I refilled the wash bin back up, so it's all yours." The honey eyed man finished getting dressed, not looking at the other man either. He walked over to his bed and got in, feeling like he deserved a good rest. He went through Lu Xun's scroll box earlier, finding a decent looking scroll, pulling it out and resting it on the bedside table, planning to read it before he went to sleep.

He grabbed it and put it in his lap, silently reading it intently, not noticing the almost silent splashes of water. He ran a hand through his hair, it becoming a nuisance and the bangs getting in his face and eyes. He clutched the pillow next to him and pressed it into his face, suppressing a yawn. He withdrew the pillow long enough to put the scroll up. He then smothered his face again and fell back on the pillow behind his head. He groaned into the cushion. "Don't kill yourself, now. I don't want to explain how _that _happen," he heard Lu Xun chuckle. "Ou, ukt eve eh ane," Ling Tong mumbled into the pillow. _Ugh, he can't understand me. I don't feel like moving the pillow, though._

Lu Xun yanked the cushion out of his hands, leaving him staring up in the face of a wet and in-the-face-shaggy haired smiling boy. "Nice to know you're still breathing," he grinned. "Oh, just leave me alone," Ling Tong repeated, being able to fully speak without a mouthful of cotton. "Awe, Gongji, you don't really mean that," the small man couldn't keep the smile off of his face. They both thought it was nice how even though for what they've done with each other, they could still act so normal around each other. It felt great. It wasn't awkward at all and they both enjoyed each other's company, now more than ever.

Lu Xun shook his hair out one more time and pushed his fingers through it, getting it all out of his face, and then climbing into the bed, as well. He turned to lie on his side, not facing towards Ling Tong. He closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the bed move under the other man's weight, who was constantly moving around. He suddenly felt arms around his waist, being pulled into a warm body. "Don't forget, Boyan," the older man whispered in the younger man's ear. "Tomorrow, we're going home."


End file.
